The people of Sunghir : burials, bodies, and behavior in the earlier upper paleolithic / Erik Trinkaus, Alexandra P. Buzhilova, Maria B. Mednikova, and Maria V. Dobrovolskaya

Object Details

author

Trinkaus, Erik

Buzhilova, A. P.

Mednikova, M. B (Mariia Borisovna)

Dobrovolʹskaia, M. V (Mariia Vsevolodovna)

Contents

Preface -- Contributors -- 1. Assessing the paleobiology of the Sunghir people -- 2. The site of Sunghir : contents and chronology. Introduction ; The site of Sunghir ; Radiocarbon dating of the site and the burials ; Summary -- 3. The mortuary behavior at Sunghir. Introduction ; The isolated Sunghir 5 cranium ; Grave 1 and Sunghir 1 ; Grave 2 and Sunghir 2 and 3 ; Grave 2bis plus Sunghir 6 and/or Sunghir 7 ; Sunghir 8 ; Time investment in the Sunghir burials ; Burial versus everyday clothing ; The mid Upper Paleolithic mortuary context ; Additional considerations ; Sunghir and its human remains -- 4. The Sunghir human skeletal remains. Introduction ; The skeletal inventory of Sunghir 1 ; The skeletal inventory of Sunghir 2 ; The skeletal inventory of Sunghir 3 ; The Sunghir 4 femoral diaphysis ; The Sunghir 5 cranium ; The Sunghir 6 hemi-mandible ; Sunghir 7 to 9 ; An isolated human patella -- 5. Comparative materials and methods for the Sunghir human remains. Comparative samples ; Data sources ; Comparative methods ; A note on accuracy and precision -- 6. The ages-at-death and sexes of the Sunghir humans. Introduction ; The ages-at-death ; The sexes of the Sunghir individuals ; Summary and considerations -- 7. The neurocrania from Sunghir 1, 2, 3, and 5. Introduction ; The Sunghir neurocrania ; Neurocranial size and overall proportions ; Sutural patterns ; Neurocranial contours ; The nuchal plane and adjacent structures ; The temporal region ; Summary -- 8. The human facial skeletons from Sunghir. Introduction ; The Sunghir facial skeletons ; Prognathism ; The orbital region ; The nasal region ; Masticatory morphology ; Miscellaneous variations ; Summary -- 9. The Sunghir dental and alveolar remains. Introduction ; The Sunghir 1 dentoalveolar remains ; The Sunghir 2 and 3 dentoalveolar remains ; The Sunghir 5 alveolar remains ; The Sunghir 6 alveolar remains ; Dental metrics ; Dental occlusal discrete morphology / Shara E. Bailey and Alexander A. Zubov ; Variations in number ; Summary -- 10. The axial skeletons of Sunghir 1, 2, and 3. Introduction ; The cervical vertebral column ; The thoracic and lumbar vertebrae ; The sacra ; The costal skeletons ; Summary -- 11. The body sizes and proportions of the Sunghir people. Introduction ; Body mass estimation ; Body proportions ; Stature estimation ; Summary -- 12. The shoulders and arms of Sunghir 1 to 3. Introduction ; Issues of asymmetry ; The shoulder ; Diaphyseal hypertrophy ; Cubital aspects ; Forearm pronation/supination ; Summary -- 13. The Sunghir human hands. Introduction ; Carpals and the carpal tunnel ; Hand length proportions ; The pollex ; Ulnar carpometacarpal configurations ; Manual hypertrophy ; Summary -- 14. The pelves of Sunghir 1, 2, and 3. Introduction ; The Sunghir pelvic remains ; The pubic region ; The ischia ; The ilia ; Summary -- 15. The leg remains from Sunghir 1 to 4. Introduction ; Sunghir 1 to 4 length considerations ; Diaphyseal morphology and proportions ; Proximal femoral morphology and proportions ; Considerations about the knee ; The proximal side of the talocrural articulation ; Summary -- 16. The Sunghir pedal skeletons. Introduction ; Pedal length proportions ; The talocrural articulations : the distal side ; Pedal arches ; Subtalar articulations ; The hallux ; The lateral toes ; Summary -- 17. The abnormalities of the Sunghir people. Introduction ; Sunghir 1 abnormalities ; Sunghir 2 abnormalities ; Sunghir 3 abnormalities ; Sunghir 4 abnormalities ; Sunghir 5 abnormalities ; Sunghir 6 lesions ; Sunghir abnormalities in their Pleistocene context ; Summary -- 18. Dietary inferences for the Sunghir humans. Introduction ; Bone mineral composition ; Bone collagen stable isotopes ; Postcanine buccal microwear ; Summary -- 19. The paleobiology of the Sunghir people. Introduction ; Populational issues ; Considerations of stress and survival ; Issues of strength and endurance ; Some final thoughts -- Bibliography -- Index

Summary

"In this latest volume in the Human Evolution Series, Erik Trinkaus and his co-authors synthesize the research and findings concerning the human remains found at the Sunghir archaeological site. It has long been apparent to those in the field of paleoanthropology that the human fossil remains from the site of Sunghir are an important part of the human paleoanthropological record, and that these fossil remains have the potential to provide substantial data and inferences concerning human biology and behavior, both during the earlier Upper Paleolithic and concerning the early phases of human occupation of high latitude continental Eurasia. But despite many separate investigations and published studies on the site and its findings, a single and definitive volume does not yet exist on the subject. This book combines the expertise of four paleoanthropologists to provide a comprehensive description and paleobiological analysis of the Sunghir human remains. Since 1990, Trinkaus et al. have had access to the Sunghir site and its findings, and the authors have published frequently on the topic. The book places these human fossil remains in context with other Late Pleistocene humans, utilizing numerous comparative charts, graphs, and figures. As such, the book is highly illustrated, in color. Trinkaus and his co-authors outline the many advances in paleoanthropology that these remains have helped to bring about, examining the Sunghir site from all angles"-- Provided by publisher.

2014

Type

Books

Physical description

xi, 339 pages : some color illustrations ; 29 cm

Place

Russia (Federation)

Vladimirskaia oblastʹ

Vladimir Region (Vladimirskaia oblastʹ)

Sungir Site (Russia)

Vladimir Region (Vladimirskaia oblastʹ, Russia)

Smithsonian Libraries

Topic

Prehistoric peoples

Human remains (Archaeology)

Tombs

Paleolithic period

Excavations (Archaeology)

Antiquities

Record ID

siris_sil_1063148

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0